


Petal soft

by Ilovedogzandpie



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, M/M, There new to this, kinda slow burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-07-28 09:53:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16239212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilovedogzandpie/pseuds/Ilovedogzandpie
Summary: There starting there relationship. It's not going to be easy, but there working on it. Beginnings after past relationships that have hurt can be challenging, as a new relationships can be.  First step is acknowledgement of past hurt so they can move forward.





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at really writing a relationship. Not established 4th step 'everything-but-married' relationship, like step 1 'the beginning' relationship. 
> 
> So please be kind, point out what I can improve. Yes there is some mistakes.  
> (I wrought this on a phone, so please be kind)

It was just a two of them in the mess hall, talking about anything really.  They talked about the books of they hated as children, mostly the ones they were forced to read in school. Their childhoods comparing to each others, just simple small things. Then it happened.

It was a touch, a lingering touch. In the mess hall, after a long decision about the ever comedian censorship. Thay laughing at a joke Kallus had made. During it zeb had placed a hand on kallus's forearm, it had stayed there as there laughter had subsided.  the men looked at the hand and up at him. There was a shy, tentative look. there was also question as well. To see what zeb would do next. His Face had colored in a blush, something zeb saw alot with Kanan.  Then Zeb's comm went off.

He would have massed it, if weren't for a small smile on Kallus's lips, and tiny chuckle. For a moment Zeb wondered what kallus would look like with a full smile.

"Yes, what." Zeb said, tone angry and frustrated. 

"Whoa, are you in the middle of something?" Asked Sabine confused. 

Zeb sighed and looked over to Kallus who sat with his head propped up, watching him. 

"No," zeb said looking away from kallus, ears pointed down,"what is it Sabine? "

"Hera wants to meet up with us." Said Sabine, still confused but decided to ask latter.

"'Kay be there in a minute,"  Zeb clicked off the comm. He turned back to Kallus.

The man was still looking up at zeb, but seemed to realize that it must be weird and looked away.  The blush was still there. Zeb had no idea what to say, what do you say. So they did a quick good bye, and zeb turned to find Hera.

"I can get us passes off base," said kallus with a shy smile, "there is a town nearby with a cinema, we can go and watch a halo film."  

Zeb said there for a minute thinking.

"That sounds great!" he said then he felt embarrassed at his explanation, sounding too eager.  Alex looked at him surprised, like he didn't expect the answer.

"Alright, I'll get to them then," Kallus said with the blush deeping, " see you tomorrow night then, I'll send you a message to where to meet."

"That sounds great," zeb try to backtrack, rubbing the back of his neck looking away, " i'll keep my comm open." 

They said their goodbyes again, less awkwardly than before.  Zeb went to do the Ghost, feeling happier than he has been in a while. Sabine noticed this but didn't say anything during the meeting, as it was nice to see him happy and maybe a little bit in the air.

"OK what is got you so happy," asked Sabine, eyebrows raised question a small smile on her lips she was suspicious. like Zeb wasn't normally in this kind of mood.

"None of your business," Zeb said with a lazy hand wave, head still in the clouds.

Sabine rolled her eyes and went to her room, this was not over. Zeb went to his and laid down on his cot.  It seem to hit him, this was a date. Not just hanging out, an actual date. He felt nerves he hasn't felt in a very long time.  He was a 40ish year old man, but yet he felt like a kit.

Should he get something? are you supposed to bring something to a date? What should he wear? should he dress up? He doesn't want to overdress, but I didn't want to under dress. He felt feeling that he hadn't felt in a very long time, he felt like he was close to someone that he wanted to know more about, rather than just laying in bed.

"Karabast!" Zeb yelled through gritted teeth and cover his face. What is he going to do?

 -----------

 Zeb in fact left his comm open, but he would not admit that he checked it ever 20 or so minutes. Ezra and Sabine noticed, and that is when the jokes started.

"Who are you waiting for?" Ezra joked as he stopped scrubbing the hall floor.

Zeb had been checking the comm yet again, about the 50th time that morning. Today was the day, the day of the date. Zeb was nerves about this, but less so then before. maybe he just got used to the feeling of it. Zeb didn't know. 

"It's non of your business," zeb said a little defensively, holding the comm to his chest. 

"Yeah zeb," said Sabine who was leaving her room, "you have been checking that comm at lot."

"Maybe it's his boyfriend," teased Ezra propping himself on the mop.

"He's not my boyfriend," zeb immediately regretted it,  wincing visibly.

"Oh force he is." Sabine gasped covering her mouth. Ezra had also gasped, but he was smiling after the shock had worn off. That was went new speculation started. Now the two were guessing who it was, but something told Zeb that they might already know who. Or at least had an idea who it might be, because they through names of all the people Zeb has interacted with.

"Ghad, the rhodian who works in droid repair," said Sabine from the booth. 

"I was thinking of Qui," said Ezra holding his arms in a pose, "the strong nautolan who works in the kitchen." 

"Nah, he's with the nautolan in supply," Sabine said sitting back, "Axel or Jovel in repair is more of Zeb's type." 

" How do know what my is?" Zeb said annoyed, he was tired of it. he waited to tell them who it was, but it wasn't there business. heck it might not work out, and he didn't want them to hold it over him. Zeb they knew they wont but he didn't wont to.

"Strong, kick butt types." Sabine said with a wave of her hand. Because he was big, he might like people who where also big. that was Sabine's reasoning.

"There is more to a person then physical," said Zeb, " like knowing there views on things, what they like, what is okay and not okay, there is a lot to a person then what you can see." 

The two younger ones seemed surprised by this, Zeb wasn't normally that deep. but they forget he was older them both Hera and Kanan by 10 or 15 years, Zeb had to do the math, but that would be latter. Zeb stud and walked out of the common room, he checked his comm yet again.  Still nothing. He needed to talk to someone else about all this, and be less judgmental about it. The wisest of all the people he knew.

\---------

Kanan sat in at the table in his room with his friend, listening to what Zeb had to say. He didn't say anything as Zeb explained, only furrowed his brows a few times, but stayed quiet. Kanan sat there until Zeb was finished. It wasn't long, but there was a lot to explain. 

"Thank for considering me to talk to, but why?" Kanan asked, he felt honored don't get him wrong. But there had to be someone else, him the wisest person Zeb knew.

"The kids are kids, Rex doesn't know what life is like on a personal level outside of war, and Hera is supper judgmental." Zeb explained, letting the honesty.

Kanan nobbed, stroking his chin, Considering the opinions. As much as Kanan loved his wife, she was judgmental about some things, she was still judging Kallus about some things. The kids where inexperienced about this, and Rex was disadvantaged being a clone. So by default, he was the wisest person. It felt wrong, but there wasn't any thing he could do about it.

"So you like Kallus," Kanan explained back, wording it the best he could, "and you want to know more about him, on a personal level,"  Kanan glanced over to his friend, "out side of sex."

"Yeah, kinda like that." Zeb said kind of embarrassed, as he never said anything about sex. But not surprised Kanan pick up on it. Once Zeb got to know Kallus more, he was beginning to feel physical attraction to the human. He normally didn't find humans attractive, but there where a few that caught his eye, and yes he has had sex with a human before. It was an experience, not a bad one. Give a human a 20 to 30 minutes brake once and a while, and they would go for a long while. There was a reason humans had the 3red highest sex drive in the galaxy. in some survives any way. But he wanted to know Kallus out side of sex.

"There is more to this, fear doesn't come from no ware," Kanan explained, "there is fear of the unknown, and there is fear that comes from experience, so what is yours?" 

Zeb sighed and thought for a minute, memory of it hurt. But it was an important he guessed.

"The last relationship I was in, we where betrothed," Kanan shifted in surprise, " It was before I finished my honor guard training," Zeb reassured. holding his hands up, knowing he can't see, "we loved each other and I would do anything for him."

Zeb fell into his story, smiling at the good parts and nearly crying at the bad parts. He explained a custom from Lasan, a ribbon knot thing fiances did. Tying it the Special knot on the left ankle. How it should only be cut after a wedding so a marital anklet band would replace it.

"We got into a huge fight, he wanted me to quit the guard," said Zeb stopping so he wouldn't cry but failing as tears begin to fall, " a week later I received the cut ribbon, that meant the betrothal was over."

Kanan reached over and rubbed zeb's back. This was probably the first time Zeb was allowed to really talk about it. And he let him. It took a while, but Kanan didn't mind, he let Zeb cry. Letting Zeb work through his hurt was good. After a while Zeb finally calmed down, felling both ashamed and relieved. Ashamed that he had cried like a kit in front of his friend, and relieved that he finally got to tell someone, so he can finally move past it.

"Well Zeb, all I can tell is that, you and Kallus have to work with each other, it might not be easy ," Kanan reassured with an understanding smile, "but you both have to see what is right for the both of you."

Zeb smiled, wiping the last of his tears from his face. Feeling a comfortable warmth bloom in his chest.

"Thank you Kanan." Zeb said voice gruff from crying.

"Any time Zeb." Kanan said patting zeb's shoulder.

Just then Zeb's comm went off.  He had never grab for something that quickly and read it that fast.  All Zeb could do is laugh and reread the message, a getty feeling filled his stomach. Like butterflies, both joy and nervous.

"You go get ready for your date, I'll tell Hera." Kanan said laughing.

Zeb nodded then remembered, so he quickly said yes. he left to that, very excited about his date. Kanan shook his head and pulled out his comm. His was specialized for blind people, so for each comm channel the comm read the name out to him. When he reached Hera's he opened it.

"Hey Hera, zeb isn't going to be with us tonight."


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They go to the movies and talk, have some fun, all that stuff.
> 
> So I decided to raise the rating of this, you might see why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy, thank you for the kudos.

The Passes were good for about full day and night, so there was no worry of them over staying and getting in trouble. Kallus had a feeling that they would return before the time passes were allowed for. It was only a date to watch a film. But nerves be nerves.

Kallus waited near the motor bay. The idea was to get a speeder or something so they can get to the village. They could walk, but the village was too far for that. Yavin 4 only had population in the hundreds, not even past the 500 mark. The empire considered planets, moons, and such as non threatening if the population was under 25,000. So yavin 4 being very under populated, it was basically non existent in terms of threat.

 Kallus saw Zab stroll towards him and, he wasn't sure if he was more nervous or less than before. Zeb had a smile on his face and had changed in to a blue and white set of clothing. 

"Hope you weren't waiting for too long," zeb said once he was close. He had taken a bath and everything, so he was at his best.

"No, not long at all," kallus had been there for nearly an hour, not out of zeb's laziness, but more of kallus attention to detail. There was also nerves. "You look good," kallus continued, blushing.

"So do you," zeb complemented rubbing his back of his neck. Kallus just changed into black pants, white shirt, and green jacket. It was something anyone could get in the clothing supply. It wasn't anything special, just what fit. Kallus was a big human, but he felt small next to zeb. In a good way? Kallus wasn't sure.

"Thank you," kallus said with his blush deeping. No one has competed on his looks in years. He felt like an out of practice old man.

"So want to get a car or something?" Kallus asked, gesturing to the bay full of land speeder cars, trucks, vans, speeders. It was like a repulser collection, but with basic everyday family vehicles, and not thousand credit ones.

"It depends," zeb said looking at the medley of vehicles to choose from," how long are the passes good for?" Even though it was innocent and zeb didn't mean anything about it, kallus blush got even deeper. Not that he wasn't thinking about it, he just didn't want to. Not that it was a bad thing, inappropriate. Maybe?

"Good until tomorrow at sunset," Kallus confirmed. It wasn't easy to get the passes, most have yet to trust him, but when they saw 'Gerazeb' they pushed them through. He did miss the organization of the empire, but did enjoy the speediness of rebellion.

"So a car then," zeb said. The two where able to get a gray metallic speeder with a covered hood. Kallus was the one to drive. In speeder the village was at least 2 hours away, the had a long way to drive.

\-------

The village was small, basically a few stores, two restaurants, and the cinema. The place had been getting alot of rebellion customers, and there was a few here tonight as well. It wasn't any thing special about this village, just the fact it was the closest thing to civilization was good enough. Kallus was from Corasont, a city world, heart of civilization, so this village was small to him. Alot of things wore, heck, the ghost 2x bigger than his apartment growing up.

"We can go get tickets and find a good set," said zeb, pointing to the cinema. 

"That's a good idea," said kallus with a smile. So they two strolled over the cinema Window. The teller was human, but he didn't speak basic. Zeb didn't know what the human was saying, but kallus did. 

"They say they only play one halo film, and this one is called 'the brothers from flower roud', it's in basic and a romance." Kallus translated for zeb. 

"That sounds good," said zeb, he wasn't sure what was more surprising, a romance film on the first date or that kallus spoke other languages. Zeb himself was bilingual, and kallus spoke castilen, the 2ed most common language after basic. Sabine was multilingual.  Kallus held up two fingers as he spoke and gave the teller a credit. One inside the smell of salt and butter hit them. Kallus forgot how long it has been since he'd been in a cinema.

"It smells like the bag stuff Hera had the kids like to eat," zeb said recalling the stuff that cooked in the reheater. It was eaten mostly during a film. Kanan didn't like the stuff, mostly eating sweet things. Now that Zeb thought of it, the two things must go together.

"It's basically the same thing,"said kallus with a smile, " I can get you some?"

"No, I really don't like the stuff, but I can get you some." Zeb offered.

"No thank you, but a cola would be great though," said kallus.

Zeb went too the concession stand, this time served by a droid who spoke basic, and bought two colas. Then then went find seats and were basically alone. No one else but another couple, and they were all over each other. It felt embarrassing to be near that, so they got a seat far from them. 

"They most really like each other," zeb commented glancing over at them. 

"Yeah to nearly have sex in a public place." Alex said kind of loud, it was a warning, and the two broke apart. They must have been to distracted by each other to notice a new couple. Zeb chuckled, were they a couple?

The lights began to dim and a soft buzz begin. The film was starting.

\---

It wasn't a good film wasn't good, in zeb's honest opinion. like the basic plot was two brothers go after the same girl. She can't decide between the two, so they must win her love. The other couple was back at each other, the badly corroded music covered there loudness. Zeb glanced at kallus, he looked board. He wasn't enjoying it either.

Zeb wanted to touch kallus. So he did a stretch, and wrap his arm around kallus's shoulders. The man was surprised and glanced over to zeb, who was pretending to not notice. Kallus smiled shyly and relaxed into the contact, resting his head on zeb's shoulder. They together watched the boaring film.

\----

They left the cinema, zeb's arm still around kallus's shoulders. Kallus was holding the hand draped over his shoulder. The film was terrible, the girl chose a different boy. Which was the better choice really, the brothers were getting weird. 

"What do you want to do now?" Asked zeb.

The village wasn't that big, but there was a cantina that sold food. Kallus wasn't sure about zeb, he was hungry. He was so nervous he had skipped dinner. 

"How about the cantina, I Heard the food is good," kallus suggested, he had listened to people passing by talking about it. 

"Sounds good," zeb agreed, he also didn't eat. Even though it was Kanan's night to cook, and it was that thing covered in cheese. What ever it was it was good.

They entered the cantina, ordered there food and drinks. They took a seat in a boouth near the front, sitting close together.  

"So you grew up on Coruscant, what was that like," zeb asked, it was the important imperial capital. What was the big deal with it?

"Well compared to every halo ever taken, there is more to the planet then the glittery surface full of rich people," kallus started but stopped when there drinks where brought over. He took a sip before continuing, "It is a crowded megalopolis with a population of 2 Trillion." He paused for a moment, and took a sip. "I grew up on level 4923, just under the power grid, in a district nicknamed the gutter. Where alot of nonbasic speakers who could get job as skilled workers. It was better than 1313, but not by much." 

Zeb didn't know what 1313 was, but he'll ask latter. There food had arrived and it smelt really good. It tasted just as good.

"Well I'm not sure if this is sad or not, but I was 14 when i saw the sun and sky for the first time," kallus added casually. Which did surprise zeb, he thought everyone has seen a sky and a sun or two every day. 

There topic become about sunsets and moonrise, rain and other weather things. Kallus described them what it was like, seeing them for the first time. Zeb was amused by this, he always been around weather, the sky, moon, and sun. 

Then there topics changed, any thing from the basic things to complex, serious to silly. They were laughing at a joke kallus  had said. They where close now, inches apart. They weren't sure who did what but, they where kissing. The first one was small, soft like a flower petal. The following ones where harder. 

"Hey! no that, no that!" Shouted the bar tender. Zeb and Kallus broke apart, a good foot, they looked at each other and stated laughing. 

"Let's get out of here," zeb suggested, holding out his hand. 

"Alright," kallus said taking zeb's hand.

Zeb lead kallus out to the humid air of yavin 4, the two walked under the night sky. The gas giant Yavin took up most of the sky, along with the stars, and firey Yavin 3, and frozen Yavin 2. Kallus was looking up and admiring it, zeb watched kallus.

Then he pulled kallus close to him, kallus waited expectedly. Zeb kissed him, it was soft then it become hard. It felt like flying, a freeing feeling. They broke apart to breath, and they watched each other.

"That was nice," kallus commented, his face was blushing deeply.

"It is," zeb said coming in for another kiss, and they kissed again.

\-------

"Do you think Zeb is alright?" Hera asked into the air. Kanan was in bed next to her, arm around her waist. He was trying to sleep after 'sleep' with his wife. 

"He's an adult Hera, older than both of us," Kanan said tried. Hera was fine with it earlier, even if it was with kallus. They had a nice dinner, got to spend time as a family, even with zeb going out on a date. The kids spent most of the evening guessing who it was, but Kanan and Hera kept tight lipped on who it was.

"I'm just worried about it you know, zeb has such a forgiving golden heart, I'm afraid that he's going to get hurt," Hera admitted, petting Kanan's arm. Despite being married, they mostly slept in separate rooms. Kanan had terrible nightmares. But he claimed that she snored. So this was a rare night. Meeting mostly for sex and contact. The kids were surprised that they were married at all.

"If we find out zeb got hurt in the morning, we'll beat kallus up," Kanan said kissing Hera's nape, she let out a  mewl, "okay?" He kissed her there again.

"Okay love," Hera said rolling over to face him, kissing him on the lips. 'Sleep' number 2 looked like fun.

\-------

Morning had come, they laid in the back seat, enjoying the company. Neither of them remembered how, but the idea was there. It was fun that night, but this morning zeb had a creek in his neck. Kallus had slept on top of zeb, car seats are small and he is the smaller one of the two. 

So after a quick bite to eat, an embarrassed kallus and bight mark and hickes later, they were on there way back to base. Zeb drove as kallus treated his marks with the bacta ointment and fist aid strips. Zeb found it kind of amusing, but kallus was upset about it. So he stayed quiet on it.

Kallus did a quick look over in the mirror, "they should be healed by the time we arrive," he stated before closing the flap. Kallus sat back. There passes didn't expire until sunset, but it felt right to head back.

"Last night was fun, we need to do that again," said zeb, suggesting.

"It was, I just hope that there is a better film next time." Kallus said back just as suggestive.

They planed on it, maybe a better film would be playing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kallus is from Coruscant, so I have a headcanon that he didn't grow up speaking basic as a first language. (So is Kanan, but his case is different from kallus)
> 
> Yes Kanan and Hera are married, and they worry for all there kids.

**Author's Note:**

> Lasats have a something similar to wedding bands, they are placed on the left ankle. So proposals are done with ribbons, the two lovers tie ribbons in a special knot around there ankle.
> 
> There is not much in Canon about lasat culture, so i'm making stuff up. All I know really is that they where isolationists, who manufactured binary droids, and measured time by something called a 'dust season'. which was accurate and reliable enough to measure with. 
> 
> So as before, be kind and tell me what I can improve in the comments.


End file.
